March 2011
KansasFest Mar 30, 2011
Speaking of Kansas City, KansasFest is an Apple-centric event full of personality. It’s “the world’s only annual convention dedicated to the Apple II computer.” (Via MacStories.)
Gigabit Broadband is Coming to Kansas City Mar 30, 2011
We may not have the Rocky Mountains, but in 2012 we’ll have amazingly fast Internet access. Update: Here’s the official Google Fiber page for KC.
Then Again, Maybe I’m Just a Sucker for Orange Typewriters Mar 28, 2011
Like these great shots from John Carey which double as wallpaper images.
Meet the Classics Mar 28, 2011
A super clever ad by Penguin Classic Books. Not to mention that orange typewriter is more attractive than all of those laptops it’s sitting next to.
[Sponsor] Create Flow with OmniFocus Mar 28, 2011
Master productivity with the power and finesse of OmniFocus using Creating Flow with OmniFocus. Kourosh Dini makes the daunting seem simple and helps you gain control from the smallest routines to the bigger goals of life using one of the most … (More)
TrackTime Mar 25, 2011
My thanks to TrackTime for sponsoring the RSS Feed this week. If you’re a freelancer working from you computer then TrackTime may be perfect for you. It’s an app for keeping track of lost-yet-billable hours by adding up all the … (More)
The B&B Podcast Episode 5: Secret Weapons Mar 25, 2011
Another great episode of The B&B Podcast. In this show Ben and I talk about what we call our “secret weapon” apps — those utility applications that are an integral part of how we use our Macs. Sponsored by the … (More)
Why Hasn’t Pixar Made More Than 11 Feature Films? Mar 25, 2011
Craig Good’s answer? “Dude, we’re pedaling as fast as we can.” I think 11 feature films in 15 years is an amazing pace, especially when you consider the outstanding quality and lovability of every single one of the Pixar films.
Why Introverts Can Make The Best Leaders Mar 24, 2011
I’m married to an introvert, most of my closest friends are introverts, most of my family is introverted, and many of the strongest leaders I know are introverts. For what it’s worth, I’ve taken that Myers Briggs test a dozen … (More)
“Gut-Level, Unchecked Aggression” Mar 24, 2011
Andy Ihnatko’s iPad 2 review. Best read on an iPad 2 with the Smart Cover in the accordion fold.
Dear Coffee, I Love You Mar 24, 2011
“A blog about the intersection of coffee, creativity, and design.” I am so subscribed. (Thanks, @picdit.)
When we Work and Play from the Same Device Mar 23, 2011
Seth Godin: More and more, we’re finding it easy to get engaged with activities that feel like work, but aren’t. I can appear just as engaged (and probably enjoy some of the same endorphins) when I beat someone in Words … (More)
Old Habits Die Hard Mar 22, 2011
Even though the Smart Cover auto-unlocks the iPad 2 (thus saving time in theory) I am still pressing that home button after opening the Smart Cover (out of habit I guess).
Go J Go Mar 21, 2011
Stephen Hackett is selling some very fun shirts. 100% of the proceeds go directly to support St. Jude Children’s Hospital, which has been treating Stephen’s son, Josiah (a.k.a. “J”), since May 2009 for a brain tumor: St. Jude treats patients … (More)
Felix Salmon on The New York Times’ Paywall Mar 21, 2011
Felix Salmon: The pricing structure is also a strong disincentive to use the iPad app at all, of course. If you’re already paying $15 every four weeks to have full access to the website, why on earth would you pay … (More)
[Sponsor] TrackTime Mar 21, 2011
TrackTime enables Creatives and Web Professionals to identify and track lost billable hours. Unlike other timers TrackTime enables you to retrospectively assign billable hours from app usage, web history or iTunes history. TrackTime easily identifies ‘lost’ time by visualizing where … (More)
Stephen Colbert’s History of AT&T Mar 21, 2011
“It’s the T-1000 of corporations.” (Via Sebastiaan de With.)
Episode 4 of The B&B Podcast: Pocket Protectors Mar 19, 2011
Sure we’ve only had 4 episodes (5 if you count Episode Zero), but this one is my favorite so far. Ben and I talk about Ben’s trip to SXSW, writing for our websites, and some other fun stuff. Episode 4 … (More)
Midori Mar 18, 2011
Many, many thanks to Jitouch for sponsoring the RSS feed this week to promote Midori. Midori is a beautiful and powerful Japanese dictionary and translation app for iPhone and iPad. It has hundreds of thousands of entries, example sentences, and … (More)
Mac Developers Donating Proceeds to Japan Relief Efforts Mar 18, 2011
Many Mac devs are donating the proceeds from their sales over the next few days directly to relief efforts in Japan. If you haven’t already donated to the Red Cross or other organizations then perhaps you’ll want to buy some … (More)
Additional Prizes Added to the Membership Drive Giveaway Mar 16, 2011
As if the list of prizes weren’t already amazing enough, a few more classy Mac OS X apps have been added to the Membership Drive giveaway. Sign up for a membership before midnight CST on Sunday, March 20 and you … (More)
“Fragility of Free” Mar 16, 2011
Ben Brooks wrote the smartest thing I’ve read all day. A great companion piece to the aforelinked Jason Fried article on how to make money. Also, Kyle Baxter wrote some good comments on Ben’s article: [Twitter] assumed if they reached … (More)
Jason Fried on Making Money Mar 15, 2011
Some great stories and good advice from Jason Fried: People’s reasons for buying things often don’t match up with the company’s reason for selling them.
Seth Godin on Leadership Mar 15, 2011
“You think you’re being a leader, but you’re probably being a manager.”
Fusion Ads’ Publishers Week in Review Mar 14, 2011
I am very much enjoying these “week in review” posts that Chris Bowler began putting together about a month ago. It’s a short list featuring some of the best posts and other cool things from the community of world-class publishers … (More)
iPad vs iPad 2: RAM performance in Mobile Safari Mar 14, 2011
A side-by-side comparison of the original iPad and the iPad 2. The original had to re-load 4 of the 9 open browser pages, and all the pages showed checker-boarding when scrolling around. The iPad 2 didn’t re-load any pages and … (More)
Donate to Help Japan [iTunes Link] Mar 14, 2011
You can support the Japanese disaster relief efforts by donating to the Red Cross via iTunes. Every little bit helps, including yours. (You can donate via the official Red Cross website, here.)
Japanese Engineering Mar 14, 2011
A lot of pre-planning and brilliant engineering in Japan meant many, many lives were saved. Also, here is a video showing some of the sky-scrapers as they sway back and forth in the midst of the quake.
[Sponsor] Midori Mar 14, 2011
Midori is a Japanese dictionary app for iPad and iPhone. It is simple, easy-to-use, and yet strikingly powerful. Midori includes over 146,000 entries and 150,000 example sentences. There are multiple ways to look up words, including handwriting recognition where you can actually … (More)
The B&B Podcast, Episode 3 Mar 12, 2011
Recorded yesterday evening just after picking up some new iPads, Ben and I talk about standing in line outside our respective Apple Stores, our first impressions of the iPad 2, and more. Episode 3 is proudly sponsored by Due App … (More)
Instapaper 3.0 Mar 12, 2011
The new and improved sharing / social feature in Instapaper is great. Before 3.0 you had to know someone’s exact Instapaper username and then subscribe to their “favorites” folder. And since Instapaper recently began requiring people to have email addresses … (More)
iPad 2 Release Spells a Bleak 2011 for Other Tablet Makers Mar 12, 2011
Andy Ihnatko: I can’t come up with any reasonable scenario in which I’d recommend anything other than an iPad. “You tried it and hated it” is one reason to shop elsewhere, I suppose. Another is “Your eccentric uncle died and … (More)
Agendas App Mar 11, 2011
Many thanks to Agendas for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. Agendas is an iPad app for meetings, and I have some co-workers that should get this app so the rest of us can benefit from it. Agendas lets you … (More)
My iPad Home Screen on MacSparky Mar 11, 2011
David Sparks was kind enough to feature my iPad Home screen as part of his Home Screen Series. Click through to find out what I would do if I were in charge at Apple HQ.
My Diary of an iPad (1) Owner Mar 11, 2011
This was my “iPad 1 Review” from last year. And, naturally, I’ll be standing in line at the Apple store today to pick up an iPad 2.
Ben Brooks on iOS Notifications Mar 10, 2011
Let’s just say it like it is: notifications in iOS suck. There are five things I routinely am getting notifications from: iCal alarms, reminders I set in Due, text messages, DMs from Twitter, Voicemails. What irks me most about messages … (More)
MacStories’ iPad 2 Review Roundup Mar 10, 2011
Links to and excerpts from all the reviews of the iPad 2 that were posted last night.
John Gruber’s iPad 2 Review Mar 9, 2011
So I remember this time last year when all the pre-launch reviews of the original iPad were coming out and John was posting up links to them all and in his comments there was this slight tone of being bummed … (More)
Readability’s HTML5 Mobile Web App Mar 9, 2011
Readability’s iPhone app for reading articles later was rejected by Apple almost three weeks ago. And so, between now and then, they’ve turned out this top-notch web app as an alternative. You save it as an app to your iPhone … (More)
“Better Together” Mar 9, 2011
A collection of Mac Apps in the Mac App Store that have iPhone and/or iPad counterparts and that sync their info. How long until Apple updates Mobile Me (or builds something new) that lets 3rd-party devs sync their apps over … (More)
iPad App Video Demos Mar 9, 2011
Apple’s video demos of just about ever single built-in iPad app. (Via Mac Stories.)
From the Archives: My iPad Buyer’s Guide Mar 9, 2011
Written last September and still quite relevant.
Method & Craft Mar 7, 2011
A brand-new, beautiful, content-rich website for creative professionals. It was an idea hatched by Phil Coffman, and it’s a site that shares some of the very fabric of the DNA here at shawnblanc.net. Meaning, Method & Craft is all about … (More)
Rdio App for Mac Mar 7, 2011
Maybe I’ll revisit that dusty subscription I cancelled so many months ago. (Via Patrick Rhone.)
[Sponsor] Agendas – An Agenda app for iPad Mar 7, 2011
Agendas lets you create an interactive agenda to be shared with other iPads on the network. It’s designed to keep meetings productive, on time, and enjoyable. Featured by Apple on the App Store homepage.
NoteTask Mar 4, 2011
Many thanks to Coding Robots for again sponsoring the RSS feed this week, this time to promote their iPhone and iPad app, NoteTask. NoteTask was also the sponsor for the inaugural episode of The B&B Podcast, and Ben and I … (More)
Hands-On Details about the iPad 2 and iOS 4.3 Mar 4, 2011
Great overview of the iPad 2 by Jeff Carlson for TidBITS: For several people I know, the size and weight of the first-generation iPad is a detriment; it’s just heavy enough that holding it for long periods of time — … (More)
“Finish Him…” Mar 4, 2011
Ben Brooks goes point by point on why the iPad 2 will kick the crap out of all the other competitors. I still tell people that the battery life is one of the premier features of the iPad.
Kevin Systrom’s 30-Second Rule for App Success Mar 4, 2011
Instagram CEO, Kevin Systrom: In the mobile context, you need to explain what you do in 30 seconds or less because people move on to the next shiny object. There are so many apps and people are vying for your … (More)
What You Need to Know About Thunderbolt Mar 4, 2011
Great overview by Dan Frakes and Dan Moren for Macworld. This is need-to-know info because if you’re a nerd you’re gonna get asked these questions.
A Web Designed for Reading Mar 4, 2011
Mandy Brown: And yet, people do read online. They read more than they ever did. They even read long articles, and straight to the end. They read one article after the other. They crave reading in the quiet moments of … (More)
Upgrading Windows Mar 3, 2011
Starting with a clean install of MS-DOS 5.0 and then upgrading from Windows 1.0 all the way up to 7.0.
“Let Users Thank You by Paying You” Mar 3, 2011
An interview with Marco Arment on GigaOM regarding finances and startups. Ryan Kim writes: [Marco] started a $1 a month subscription plan in October that didn’t actually offer much in the way of extra features. It was more of a … (More)
Minimalism Oscar Posters Mar 3, 2011
One for each of the 10 best picture nominees. (Via Curved White.)
The Making of NetNewsWire Lite 4.0 Mar 3, 2011
Speaking of NNW, here is Brent’s photo set on Flickr of the evolution of the UI. And he’s also written some behind the scenes details about some of the particulars of NNW Lite, such as non-synced feeds.
NetNewsWire Lite [App Store Link] Mar 2, 2011
Brent Simmons just shipped a new, free lite version of one of my most beloved apps: NetNewsWire. It’s in the Mac App Store, has a cleaned up UI, and added some new default feeds. (Having your site in NNW’s default … (More)
The B&B Podcast, Episode 2 Mar 2, 2011
Recorded just a few hours ago, Ben and I talk about the iPad 2. And a huge thanks to this episode’s sponsors for being the inaugural sponsors of The B&B Podcast. Episode 2 is proudly sponsored by Instapaper and NoteTask.
Apple’s iPad 2 Video Mar 2, 2011
Lots of shots of the white one. And the second video, the smart cover one, is super cute.
From the Archives: The Potential of MobileMe Mar 2, 2011
Who knows… Maybe we’ll see something like this today.
Engadget’s Live Blog of the Apple Event Mar 2, 2011
The event starts at 10:00 am Pacific. I’ve got a budget meeting at noon (CST) today, so I won’t be tracking with Apple’s announcement “live”. But once I’ve got some down time later I’ll be checking Engadget’s coverage.
